Making Bail in the Fight Against Cancer

The number of “convicts” will surge at Polo Park Shopping Centre for the Canadian Cancer Society’s Jail-N-Bail fundraising event.

Dozens of Winnipeggers are donning orange jumpsuits for a local version of the popular TV show “Orange is the New Black.”

Jailbirds will be picked up at their workplace and taken to a “mock” jail. The only way to be free is to use your connections with family, friends and work colleagues to raise “bail” or pledges to be released. The average stay at Jail-N-Bail is about an hour.

“Everyone has a personal cancer story and a reason why they are participating in this event,” said Cancer Society executive director Mark McDonald.

“They are either cancer survivors such as Dean Gunnarson who celebrates his 40th anniversary of being cancer-free this April or others such as Pat Werestiuk who is battling cancer right now.”